Axle



E, B. CLARK Jan. 24, 1933.

AXLE

Filed June l5, 1950 Patented Jan. 2.4, 1933 unirsi) STATES Parentv @oF-Freek, i

am B. crm. or Brides-Nm messes essere .so were@ comuni?, or BCHANAN, Micnienn, A ysonnen-efrNer MrenIeAN Application led June 13,

This invention relates to the manufacture of -aXles for motor vehicles, and more ticularly front axles designed for the attachment thereto of dirigible Wheels. Y

Theobject of the invention is to provide an axle that will possess i the requisite strength to withstand the stresses to v'v'hieh it is subjected, and yet Will be light in Weight and simple indesign, so that it may profitably 10 be manufactured andsold at aprice that will be a. factor in reducing the cost of the vehicle.

It is Well recognized as desirable to manufacture front axles from seamless steel tub- 1'5 ing, and in the practice of my invention such tubing is used, but many of the operations heretofore found necessaryii'i the fashioning of an axle from such tubing' are eliminated,

With consequent reduction in cost. The riature of the invention will clearly appear'from the following description thereof in connection With the accompanying drawing, in

Which- Fig. 1 is a side view of one end portion of 4 l p l tively flat and the h'orizontalfdiameteof the tubing should be less than its vertical diamethe completed axle;

Fig.v 2'is an end' view thereof n Fig. 3 is aplan vieyv4 of the partsk shown inFig.1;and

Fig. 4 is a vertical cross-section on line' 3o 4 4 of Fig; 1.

does not show'the knuckle bracket that car-V ries the steering Wheel' spindle, since that is of the usual type and constitutes no part of the present invention. Therefore, it isun'necessary t'o illustrate' it. 4

In manufacturing my improved axle, I start with apiece of round seamless steel tubing 5 of such length' that after? the knuckle 40 pieces hereinafter mentioned have been appliedft'o its ends the aXle as a Whole Will be of standard-length; The diameterof the tubing" 5 and the thicknessof itsW'all are optional, butr I preferably employ tubing having an external diameter of `about Qsetlls inches and afwallthickness of gths' ofan inch. The end portions 6 of this tubing from a' point a short 'distance'inside of the` position oftheusu'al springjseatsorp'ads, asl at the l point A,are thenfashioned, .preferably by'la It" Will be i'l'nderstood that the drawing 1930. seria-1 N5. Mosul;V

shown Fig. `4.1., e1fais' te say', are `,given i tube, and the' horizontal', 4diameteris` soi'nefwhat feaueedzfffafhst 'f-the rigiiaj mbe. Preferably, the' finished external,` vertical d.- met'er' of the end' portions of the tubing is .2l/th inches and its horizontal external Y ameter at the median lineis`4 approximately l'ths inches.V These dimensions may, `of course, be 4varied laceoi'diiig to' ,the ideas of the manufactureras t'o what is best, lsfo, I; Wish it to' be Yunders'toodthat invention Y does not essentially require the for'ri'iatio :of the end portions of ,theI tubing tov the' exact 1 y contour shown in Fig. 45, as the top and blote tom surfaces need not'v be' perfectly flat, and

the' eurva'ture of the sideportions be va- 'riedfromV that shown, although" the Ac'liryature of such side portions should' be 'comparater, to obtain the requisite' strength tOf resist the greater vertical stresses to'ivhich"theiazlel is ordinarily vehicle. y V Y After fashionin'g the' tubular portion of the axle' in the manner-above' described, I apply to eachof itseid's'l aknuekle piece 11 in thefor'm of a.fo1'"ging. This knuckle piece comprises Wha-t', may' be terfn'fied`l an' external head' 12 provided with' a" cyliiideal sleeve portion 13' having vertical borelfl to re'- ceive the usual knuckle pini The liead; I2' is also' provided with a transverse holevv 15' that cuts thebo're 14 atene side, fortlie reception of .a loclringfpin or key t'ofholcl the knuckle subjected in the operation' of the pin againstendvfise movement. Projecting froml the" vertical faeef'l ofthe'liead 1.2' is f block or plug v17",?the` crosssect'inalfsliape .Mid dimensions' yofvvlfchfy are such" that itsl vvill fit v sruugly vsfithinA tlyieerid" portion `of the aile tube, as indicatedV thedottdlinsfin F l and 3v.v vrAlso, tliee'xteriial' da'rneteroft ie betale einemwitsyefaprfece 16 au@ f Y. saineA as that of the 'aide tube at its end p'ijl QO Y y tions, as indicated in said figures, and consequently a shoulder 18 is Vformed around the `tions of the axle tube. j Y

From the innerl end Vo-f the plug 17 projects head 12 bythe juncture therewith of the plug 17, which shoulders ab-ut against the end pora web 19, which'is alinedfwith the axisl of saidplug. The vertical diameter of this web Aisrsomewhat greater than; Iits horizontal diameter or thicknesspto give it greater rigidity to resistvertical stresses without undue increase of weight. VAt its inner end the yweb' 19 is provided with aplug 2O which alsoV conforms in Vshape Ato `the cross-sectionalY shape of fthe/end portion ofthe axle tube Vand fits snuglygtherein at a point coincident' with the position of the.; usual spring seat; The

plug'20fhas acentral vertical bore21, as

- n fshown in Figs 1 and 3, to receiveja bolt by which the vspring seat is secured upon the axle tube over said plug. This bcltserves also to -secure the knuckle piece firmly in the axle tube. Y Obviously, .instead of a bolt f rivet maybe used for the purpose of ysecuring the knuckle piece, and a spring seat of t VVthe type that embraces the tube and is secured thereon by Vclamps imay be employed.k As best shown in Fig. 1, at itsV inner end the 2O is preferably provided with wings or anges 22 at top and' bottom thatv extend :inwardly therefrom and bear against the upper and lower wallsrof'jthe axle tube Vto further support it. j

' In' addition to thebore 2l, the knuckle piece 11 may be further secured to,- the axle tube by welding together in any suitable way the abutting marginal portions of thek head n 12 andaxle tube, in which case the shoulders 18 andthe end surfaces of the axle tube would bebeveled lto facilitate the making of va welded joint. "Also, if desired, the knuckleV piece Vmay be .secured tothe axle tube by providingthe plug 17 with one or more peripheral recesses indicated by the dotted line 23 in Fig'. (3,. and indenting the axle tube` aty corresponding points to force Vthe material of the tube into suchV recesses.

VBy the construction described I provide an axle structure comprising a tubular axle member and a knuckle piece that are firmly united so that lthey becomeV practically integral, Vwithout the necessityy of using'any welding operation that would tend toweaken the axle tube. In practice it has been found that welding operations on comparatively thin axle'tubing is objectionable because they i have the effect'of weakening 'the tubing, in

many' cases the vtubing being burnt through 7,66 because of the difiiculty of `contro'll'in the Y V spaced apartand connected-by the web 19, the

work. Byprovidingl the two plugs 1 20 end portion of the axle tube is reenfo'rce'd and ...given the requisite strength to properly re'-y sist thev strains to whichv it is subjected, the

strength ofthe axle under the spring seats is increased, and the knuckle piece is rigidly and permanently secured to the axle tube. The web 19 not only reenforces they axle tube against verticaland lateral strains, but also servesy as a tension'` member toV resist outward stresses on the knuckle piece andhold` their connecting web,'is anv integral forging comparatively simple in design, and the work uniform from end-to end thereof. The N knuckle piece,V includingVv the twoplugs and'` of assembling the knucklepieces with the axle i tub-e is also one that may be. cheaply and expeditiously performed.v r v The term seamless steel tube as j the specifica-tion and claims hereof is intended to include'tubingcontinuous in crosssection whether formed by welding together the margins of a rolled blank or by a process that results inthe production of a'tube withouta welded joint or seam. n Y l My invention rincludes Vnot onlythe axle shown and described, Y'as anew article' of manufacture, but also the method herein del;

.scribed by which it is produced. Whatlclaim is-V l,

used in Y 1. Anaxle-conip-rijsinga seamless steel tube Y 1 having its endk portions formed togenerally fitting closely the end portions'rof the tube,y

Vand fixedly secured theretoy loblongsha'pe in cross-section, and correspondingly shaped knuckle j pieces each comprising spaced members inserted yintoand 2. An axle comprising a seamless steel tube havingits end portions formed to generally oblong shape in cross-section, and knuckle piecesinserted into Vand fitting closely the end portions ofthe tube, and fixedly secured thereto, said knuckle pieces comprising plugs spaced apart and integrally connectedV together. Y Y p V3. An axlecomprising a seamless steel tube having its end portions 'formed to generally oblong Vshape in cross-section, knuckle pieces inserted into and fitting closely the end portions of thel tube, and i'ixedly secured thereto, said knuckle pieces comprising plugs spaced apartand inteofrallyfconnected to-i getheigfand means securing theinner plugs to the axleV tube'. under the Vspring, seat positions.Y

4. An .axle comprising'a seamless steel tube having walls of substantially uniform thick:

ness throughout, and knucklefpieces each'VV Y* i having-integral spaced apartmmbers ini serted into and fitted closely within the end portions of said tube, andv xedly secured thereto.

5. An axle comprising a seamless steel tube having walls of substantially uniform thickness throughout, and knuckle pieces secured to the end portions of said tube, each of said knuckle pieces comprising a head and plugs integral therewith and iitting closely within the end portion of the tube, said plugs being spaced apart to support the axle tubeV at separated points.

6'. An axle comprising a seamless steel tube having walls of substantially uniform thickness throughout, and'knuckle pieces secured to the end portions of said tube, each of:

said knuckle pieces comprising a head and plugs integral therewith and fitting closely within the end portion of the tube, said plugs being spaced apart to sup-port the axle tube at separated points, and an axially disposed web connecting said plugs together.

7. An axle comprising a seamless steel tube, and knuckle pieces secured to the end portions thereof, each of said knucklel pieces comprising a head and plugs integral therewith, said plugs being spaced apart `from each other lengthwise of the axle tubev to support the same at separatedponts, said knuckle pieces being secured ixedly to the axle tube. i l

8. An axle comprising a seamless vsteel tube having walls of substantially uniform thickness throughout, and knuckle pieces inserted into the end portions of said tube, each of said knuckle pieces comprising a head and plugs integral therewith and iitting closely within the end portion of the tube, said plugs being spaced apart to support the axle tube at separate points, the innermost one of said plu s having a transversely extending bore, and for securing said knuckle pieces in said axle.

9. An axle comprising a seamless steel tube having its end portions formed to receive correspondingly shaped knuckle pieces, said knuckle pieces being inserted into and fitting closely the end portions of the tube, each of said knuckle pieces comprising a plug spaced from the end of said axle and substantially underlying the spring seat position, means for securing said plug to the axle tube, a second plug inserted into the end of said axle tube, said latter plug adapted to be connected to a wheel supporting member, and means` connecting said plugs together whereby said second plug is rigidly held in said axle.

In witness whereof I hereunto subscribe myname this 11th day of June, 1930.

EUGENE B. CLARK.

means passing through said bore 

